4 Years ago yesterday I joined Gamespot. I had just heard about the release of Diamond and Pearl a mere few weeks before, and just gotten my DS. When I heard about online play, I figured I'd find some gaming site and challenge people, seeing as I could consistently beat everyone I played against in 3rd gen.

Because of that, while looking at D/P info I found out about the PLU. I joined just after the release, exactly a month after joining gamespot. I tried helping a bit, but looking back I wasn't all that helpful, and I probably was annoying for the most part (double posting, bag english, etc.).

As Summer approaches, I prepared for my first tournament, a doubles tournament. I started preparing my team thinking I would at least do pretty well. Just to show how bad I was at the time, here's what I remember from my team:

Charizard
Serious
Blast Burn / Heat Wave / Air Slash / Dragon Claw

Swampert
Quirky
Blizzard / Muddy Water / Earthquake / Hammer Arm

Umbreon @ Leftovers
Sassy
Bite / Moonlight / Confuse Ray / Secret Power

Crobat @ Focus Band
Calm
Air Cutter / Confuse Ray / Poison Fang / Bite

I can't remember the last two, but I think one may have been noctowl. Either way, bad move choices (double STAB on Zard, plus using Blast Burn). I relied on luck a lot with double confuse ray and bite winning most of the matches I got in that tourney. I came top 16 out of about 100, losing to SoulReaverCross. Really, I only won through the one thing I think still defines my play: My knowledge of my team and how they work together. Sure, it's a horrid team, but I knew every little thing about it (as far as my knowledge of the game goes), especially the first four that I had been working with through most of 3rd gen. I knew how they worked together, and to a lesser extent how they synergized (i.e. try to get Umbreon and Crobat out together to confuse flinch stall, Charizard + Swampert gives nice attacks that hit both opponents, covering many types with Fire + Water/Ice/Ground).

This tournament probably showed me the one most important lesson I've learned playing this game: don't get cocky, and learn from every defeat. It also gave me my drive to improve and to learn everything I can about the game. It finally showed me that I wasn't the best, which I had begun to believe after years of almost exclusively winning.

However, by then I had developped a decent group of gamespot users who would play with me or talk with me, so I left the PLU for a while with them and we tried our hands at our own unions. I became the leader of two small unions (The Nintendo Revolution Union, and the Dialga and Palkia Universe, look them up if you want) as the leaders quit, but they were dying and after a few months I had to give up.

School came back in slowly after, and I left gamespot for a while. When I came back almost a year later, I rarely posted, and I frequented the PLU, Wii, and DS boards (I later drop the Wii board, as I just enjoy my DS much more, using my Wii basically only for "party games" (SSBB, MK:Wii, Mario Party, etc.)). September comes, and I'm at a new school, and I find new friends who play. Not only do they still play Pokemon, but unlike the people I used to play with they're actually competitive. I started getting more interested again, playing against them and posting actively again. I enter a few small tournaments, and place much better (even winning one or two), not just by luck of playing bad opponents, but truly by my own skill at the game. I now have a decent team, but it's not amazing nor does it reach my current standards.

As time goes by, I'm one of the most active members of the PLU, and considered one of the best battlers there too. The union's more competitively focused than it used to be as well, probably partially by my influence (only talking about battling) as well as more casual players (or anime watchers / manga readers) leaving with less hype from a recent release (plat didn't make near the splash D/P did). In fact, I go overboard with the competitive atitude here. I'm not very welcoming to the newbies, and I did flame occasionally for people not seeing what I did when asking for advice. I'm not that proud of it, but it's true. Jerell_Rast starts finding he doesn't have time for his union anymore, so he quits as leader, making me the leader of the PLU.

At first I didn't know what to do. There was a time when the union was too rediculously huge that I would never have thought it possible for me to even have a face in it. Yet, here I was, the leader. I've been improving as a leader (or so I think), and definitely getting better as battler with every match I play.

I still treasure my team, and still have the same favorites. I know how my team plays together, and how they play separately. Sure, I have much higher standards (flawless or near flawless IVd Pokemon now), but I can also get those standards now. I've become competitive, but I still love the game. No matter how odd the path was, I'm glad I followed it.

I've grown from a faceless, nameless trainer, trading primarily, battling only in tournaments to a common face, seen as one of the most competitive players on Gamespot, and I've been called the best by a few (though I personally don't think I am). I'm the leader of the biggest Pokemon Union on gamespot. A lot sure has changed.

I'd also like to just make a shout-out to all the users who have helped me along the way. Users, who have taught me, argued with me (it's been fun) or who have battled me. There's too many of you to list, but you guys are great (for the most part (if you're the guy who's hacking, pirating, or cheating and I've disagreed with you, I probably still have a problem with you). Also, members of the PLU (join it if you like Pokemon :P, it's on the top of my union list), thanks for keeping it alive. It's been a real blast, and I hope it stays that way.

Also, to any new users, or people in general (pretty sure these lessons work in RL :P) reading this, remember: Keep trying, keep learning. You can have a face and you can improve if you try. You only lose when you give up.

I felt like writing a new blog (last one's really old :P), so I decided I'd talk about a game I've been playing lately. I'm going to avoid talking about the community since it's not the best, and I'd rather not go on another rant :D.

Anyway, League of Legends is a free to play game which plays similarily to DotA (for those who have played it). Riot Games (the company that makes it) also conveniently has some of the people behind the original DotA All-Stars. The game adds, most noteably, the "summoner system" which gives players customization of their hero before the game even starts through masteries, runes, and summoner spells. It's argueable whether it's the best (I think it's a bit too much of a disadvantage to newer players), but more customization is always nice and it allows for more creativity and variety for one character.

The gameplay is straight forward, and accessible, but it can get rather complex (I know I definitely don't play at the top level). Your final goal is to destroy the enemy's base, destroying towers, killing minions, and possibly slaying other champions (like your own) along the way. The complexity comes in with team combinations, picks and counterpicks, ganking, positioning, and knowing when to do what. I'm not going to go into detail (and I'm not an amazing player, so I probably would have some flaws in my explanation anyway).

Anyway, if anyone would like to add me, I mainly play as "Hegna" on the NA server of League. My main champs to play are Ezreal, Anivia, Cho'Gath and Kog'Maw, but I'm more than willing to support my team and pick a tank, or support (I'm a horrid support player though :P). I'm rated 107x, and going up currently (won my last 3 ranked, but I play much more normal games than ranked).

So, add me sometime if you play, and I'll play a round or two with you. Just say you're from gamespot with your IGN :P.

EDIT:

This is me:

Note: It's from a fan site, and I don't upload all my matches (I forget, and it's not that important to me to stay updated on there). The number in brackets are the actual number (based on the last log file with me uploaded), and the non-bracketed numbers are the numbers according to uploaded matches only.

Pokemon VGC. The epitome of competitive play.

At least, it should be, but that's the first problem. Almost all truly competitive play for Pokemon is played in 6 V 6 singles. Generally, in the OU tier, but UU and Ubers isn't that uncommon. Now, the current VGC comes around and it's played in 4 V 4 doubles. A setting that's much less played. Now, I don't have a direct problem with that, but I'd say they should have multiple tournaments for different styles, especially to offer the most popular type of play among the western world (Europe and the Americas).

Next, time and location. Look at this map. Note where all the tournaments are and their dates. That's right, 6 regional qualifiers in the U.S. than one national championships, one Nationals in Japan, one in Spain, France, Germany and the UK. Guess what if you live in a different part of North America, Europe, or Asia?

NOTHING. South America, Africa, and Oceania don't even get a single tournament. Don't get me wrong, I love an international tourney, but is it really fair that the U.S. has locations all over the map for decent access for many residents when all of the countries I listed before need to go to one single location? Is it fair that me, being in Canada and in High school, cannot attend because the closest tourneys are during my busiest times and are pretty far away? Is it fair that the competition doesn't come to Oceania, Africa, or South or Central America?

No, it's not. I know I may not be the best player in the world, but at least give me a chance. I can't skip school for a video game tournament that would take a day or two to drive to when I'm in the middle of exams. How about people who would actually need a plane to get there?

Nintendo ought to brighten up. There's definitely enough people who would go if the tourney came to my area, and I'm willing to vouch that it could be just as packed in any continent or country. The game's an international hit. Why exclude international players?

Finally, though I haven't experienced this personally due to issue 2, I've heard that the tournaments are actually only made to accomodate a small group compared to the eligible participants who show up. People drive for hours to get to these things, just to be turned down because of a random draw. Honestly, is it that hard to let more people in and just make a second tree or something? Just have them play at the stations after the first set of people.

Now, I know this is mostly a rant, and all my suggestions would cost money, but I honestly think it would be an inprovement. Nintendo should really acknowledge other areas and their audiences.

Well, I figured that since GS is adding some features with raptr, I mind as well give them a shot.

After all, new features are usually cool.

So, I made a raptr account (Hegna1, if you want to add me), and downloaded their client. I plan to link up my Wii, but I keep forgetting to do it XP.

At first I figured that I would probably have at least one PC achievement, but then I realized, I basically only play MMOs on my PC (no achievements), and the one game I have that I thought would have support of some kind for sure (Dragon Age: Origins) doesn't have any Raptr achievements (disappointing for me). Granted, the client's kind of fun, but I do think it needs to be refined. Groups I've imported from MSN, for example, cannot be edited at all on Raptr, which really is a pain.

I'd have to agree it has potential, but for now, I'm really just using it to track my games collection (which on the PC, is basically DA:O, MMOs, and Windows default games).

So What do you think about it?

Feel free to add me on Raptr (link above). I'll probably accept Friend requests from just about anyone for now.

For goodness sake what is wrong with you guys?

I even mention competitive battling anywhere on Gamespot and someone starts spazzing out as if I have ninjas forcing everyone to use CB Scizor.

I have never once said that playing casually is worthless, yet any time I post my competitive opinion, someone says I take the game too seriously, or that I think too much about it. GROW UP.

Honestly, I haven't forced anyone to play competitively, observe smogon tiers, use scizor, etc. I'm just a teenage guy who plays competitive Pokemon as a hobby, and enjoys it (go figure, trying to win at a game is actually fun for me, and my loss to vashta of smogon for ST6 was enjoyable because it's still the game at its finest). It's the flamers that make me want to move to smogon. You guys just can't seem to admit you're wrong.

I'm a sick and tired of you casual players who flame me because I say your favorite pokemon can't be used competitively, or when I say your team only works for in-game material. I'm not forcing you to play at my level or higher, I'm just telling you that whatever you have planned needs to be fixed to play properly. Get it through your heads, I have never, and will never force someone to play competitive pokemon. I will not give casual advice though, as I find advice for casual gaming is useless in a game as easy to play casually as Pokemon.

tl;dr

I'm not forcing you to play competitively. Accept my competitive opinion you flamers. Casual Pokemon players don't need advice. Leave me alone if you're some casual player who can't take the heat.

Ironically anyone who read this probably isn't one of those flamers.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Hope you all had a great year, I know I did.

Well, not for Summer or anything, but Christmas Break (sue me, I'm not going to say holidays) starts tommorow for me.

I doubt it means more activity here from me, but it at least means I don't have to fret about assignments for a while.

What worries me is I haven't gotten gifts for anyone yet.

ugh... Shopping time.:roll:

So, cheers, and let the good times roll!

P.S. For those of you who still play Pokemon, the PLU's hosting a Christmas tournament. Prizes aren't set in stone, but I've heard rumours of flawlessly bred legit Pokemon, arceus, and darkrai being possible options.

Well, I'm pretty sure most of you know I'm a pretty big nintendo fanboy.

I don't have a PS2 at all. However, after playing Kingdom hearts : Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (both are on Nintendo systems XP), and loving them, I knew I should finally play through the original Kingdom hearts, It took a while to find a friend who would lend me a PS2 and the game (too cheap to buy a PS2 for one game XP), but I started it up, and started playing KH1.

Now, about a month later, I'm done, and happy to have played.

Just 1 more game to go for the series (at least until Birth By Sleep comes out), and that's KH2. Unfortunately, my friend doesn't have it :(

It's a great game by the way, so I reccomend you guys play it if you have the time, especially if you've played Chain of Memories or 358/2 like I have.

It could take a while, but I'm determined to play and clear Kingdom Hearts 2.

With HG/SS coming out, I feel it's about time I do this.

My current team is getting pretty predictable anyway.

The new team will be finished by 2 months into HG/SS, if not earlier.

Many of you have seen the idea behind the new team, and those who haven't will have to wait.

The old team, of course will still be available, and if you want, you can challenge it, though if you don't tell me, I will not use it as soon as the new team is made.

The old team actually has many abuseable flaws that I have noticed, but I will not be changing it much anymore to keep up with the metagame. It's only gotten to the low 1300s on shoddy anyway.

I hope all of you have had your chance to face it already, and if you haven't, make sure to battle me before HG/SS.

I will reveal the whole team in-depth, for those who don't know it once the new one is created(in-game).

I hope you guys enjoy it.

Good luck to all of you in your battles!

Magikarp is the only character that deserves to be the greatest game hero.

This small creature from Pokemon, is everywhere, waiting. It has to live through so many times of uselessness before it gains any power. This fish doesn't mind though. It knows at the end of the day, only the REAL trainers use him, and he sets them apart from those newbies who run through their game, and actually try to battle competitvely with their starter.

Of course, it does help that this fish also evolves into the Pwnage gyarados, which can beat almost any other Pokemon 1 on 1.

Join my crusade, make sure Magikarp is at least recognized for the Greatest Game Hero contest!

Feel free to use any of these.

FEAR THE MAGIKARP!

Sig:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa275/Hegna_photo/MagikarpGreatestGameHero.gif

Avatar:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa275/Hegna_photo/MagikarpGreatestGameHero2.gif

Blog Header:

None yet.

Necessary Link for more Proof of Magikarp's PWNage.

I'm going to try this myself sometime XP.

*please note: this is completely a joke. Magikarp is not elligible for the Greatest Game Hero contest, and I didn't expect it to be. I'm just too torn about some other characters to decide to just put one of them in my sig.